Friday, January 15, 2010

Triangles And Arches

In 1965, Alexander Calder created this sculpture for the new state government office building complex in downtown Albany, New York. The jet-black "Triangles and Arches" is right at home in the center of the southernmost reflecting pool on the plaza, between the state capitol to the north and the Cultural Education Center on the south.

I think this accessibility ramp was a later addition to the plaza stage.

In the photo above, you can just see the sculpture behind the access ramp to the plaza stage. I thought the lines and shadows of the ramp's purely functional rail contrasted interestingly with the sculpture and with the plaza buildings around it.

When I worked at the plaza back in 1977, I had a great view down onto the sculpture from my seventh floor windows in the adjacent office building.

I'm still digging through pictures from my trip to Albany last fall. Bear with me.
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3 comments:

  1. Stephen15 January, 2010 16:41

    Really? It is so cold ouside that you stay in a dream of tropical Albany?
    Love the photos & love the Calder!
    The 3 of you stay warm!
    Your fan in Portland,
    SR

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jean15 January, 2010 20:33

    Looks like some king of outerspace insect monster landed on earth.
    OK - I blame it on the painkillers and too many DVD's !!

    ReplyDelete
  3. wcs16 January, 2010 08:05

    stephen, tropical? Albany? Bwahahahahaha! ;)

    jean, I've heard the office complex referred to as Battlestar Galactica on the Hudson, so it fits right in.

    ReplyDelete

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